Vision impairment and vision loss is a common affliction associated with aging. As a person grows older, a gradual deterioration of eyesight tends to develop as a result of various genetic and environmental factors. One of the most widespread forms of eye degeneration is a cataract, in which the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy, thereby hindering normal vision. In particular, a buildup of protein or pigment in the lens obstructs the transmission of incoming light through the lens and onto the retina portion of the eye. Since new lens cells form on the outside of the lens, all the older cells are compacted into the center of the lens resulting in clouding or “opacification”. The severity of a cataract can vary, ranging from reduced visual acuity and impaired recognition, such as objects that appear cloudy or with substantial glare, and extending to partial or even complete loss of vision (blindness).
Cataract surgery involves the removal of the natural eye lens and its replacement with an artificial intraocular lens implant. There are a number of different surgical techniques presently in use, one of which is known as “phacoemulsification”. Phacoemulsification involves initially forming an incision in the cornea to gain access to the interior of the eye, followed by the formation of a circular opening in the anterior lens capsule (known as an “anterior capsulorhexis”) to allow for removal of the cataract. The next step is fragmentation of the lens nucleus (“nucleus chopping”), followed by emulsification and extraction of the lens material. The fragmentation process, which is intended to facilitate the emulsification, may be conducted mechanically using at least a fine instrument that accesses the lens nucleus from a side port (i.e., a different incision from the main capsulotomy incision). Other techniques for nucleus fragmentation utilize the application of radiation by a femtosecond laser device (which may also be used for the corneal incision and/or the anterior capsulorhexis). A dedicated femtosecond laser device requires costly equipment that typically cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.